Arc lamp



(No Model.)

A. W. WHITGOMB.

ABC LAMP.

N0.443,557. PatentedDeo. so, 1890.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOI? which is on one shaft with gear 4:.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

ALONZO \VILTON \VHITCOMB, OF \VORCESTER, MASSACHUSET'S.

ARC LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,557, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed March 27, 1890. Serial No. 345,559x (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALONZO WILTON WHIT- COMB, a citizen of the United States, residing in Vorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arc Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the arc-regulating mechanism of that class of arc lamps in which the upper carbon is lifted to strike the are by means of the action of an electro-magnet in the main circuit and is fed downward by the action of gravity controlled by gearing.

My invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing the figure is a side elevation of so much of the lamp as is necessary to illustrate my invention.

The rod 0, carrying the upper carbon, has a free vertical movement in the frame and is provided with a rack K. At F, in bearings carried by the lamp-frame, is swung a frame F, supporting a train of gearing. Of this train the pinion 1 meshes with rack K, and carries on its shaft gear 2, meshing with pinion 3, The shaft of the latter forms the pivoted point T of the frame. Meshing with gear 4 is the pinion 5, on the shaft of which is the flier 6. It will be understood, of course, that the pinion 5 is out of the plane of the rack K, so as not to engage said rack at any position of the frame. The lower extension WV of the frame carries the armature R of the arc-striking magnet A, and a stop N is provided for the extension M to rest against when there is no current.

M is a magnet connected in-series with the arc and acts on lever m, carrying armature m and fulcrumed at m A spring m acts to return lever on, and a hook m at the end of the lever engages flier 6 when the latter is raised by the action of magnet A, swinging the frame F.

S is a shunt-magnet connected in parallel with the arc and acts on lever s, carrying armature s and fulcrumed at 3 A spring s acts to return levers, and a hook s at the end of the lever is adapted to engage the flier 6. These two levers M and S have limiting-stops m and 5 respectively.

The conductors and connections for the current are shown at 00.

The operation is asfollows: On starting the current the magnet A attracts armature R, swings frameF, and the pinion l lifts rod 0, thus striking the arc. The instantaneous lifting of the pinion 1 and the flier and theinertia of the train of gears causes a positive lifting of the rod 0, and the immediate engagement of one of the teeth of the flier with hook on prevents any possible turning of the gears and pinions, and as long as the current flows the frame F remains stationary, being held by magnet A. The spring m is adjusted so that if the current is more than normal the lever m remains with its point or hook at in engagement with the flier and prevents feed, and when normal the spring causes the hook to rise from the flier and allow the rod C to slowly descend by gravity. The spring 5 is so adjusted that if the arc is too short the hook s of lever s engages the flier and prevents feed.

If the current is insufficient for the space by which the carbons are at any time separated, it is also insufficient to keep hook on down, and therefore a feed is allowed until an arc of the right length is formed, the hook s meanwhile being kept out of engagement by means of the current passing through the shunt-circuit, and if the current is excessive or abnormal the hook m is kept in engagement with flier 6 until the burning of the carbons has increased the arc to a degree proportionate to the current. Therefore it will be seen that unless the current and the are are of the proper strength and length, respect ively, no feed takes place until they become rectified. The eifect of this in two or more lamps connected in series across incandescent mains is to maintain equal arcs and arcs of the right length. If the shunt-magnet and its brake s only were used, the two lamps would have equal arcs; but the length of the arcs would not be regulated; and if only the main magnet M and its brake m were used the sum of the two arcs might be right; but they would not reliably equal each other.

My improved arranger-ment necessitates equal arcs and correct as well as constant current at all times after the proper current has once been obtained.

I-Iavingnow described myini'entiomwhatI net in the same circuit and iced-releasing claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, mechanism operated by Said second magnet .is I and another magnet in the shunt-circuit and 15 1. In an arc lamp, the combination, with i fecd-re1easingmechanism operated byit,snb-

5 are striking and feeding mechanism, of two stantially as described.

releasing devices for the feeding mechanism, In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed one operated by the main current and the my name in the presence of two snbsclibing, other by a shunt-cnrrent and each independ- Witnesses. ent of the other, substantially as described. ALOXZO \YI LTOX \VI iI'lCOMIZ. 1o 2. In an arc lamp, the combination, with 'Witnesses:

are-strikingmechanism and a magnet in the ALONZO "HITCOMB, main circuit for operating it,of a second mag- UHAUNCY L STUBBS. 

